An arrest has been made nearly a week after a police detective in New Bedford, Massachusetts, was shot in the city's South End while working undercover there, authorities announced Sunday.
The Bristol County District Attorney's Office says 20-year-old Cheybane Vasconcelos-Furtado was taken into custody Sunday afternoon at a home on Worcester Street in New Bedford by local police, state police detectives, members of the violent fugitive apprehension section and ATF agents in connection to last Monday night's shooting.
Vasconcelos-Furtado is currently facing a number of charges, including, two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, two counts of assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, two counts of wanton destruction of property over $1,200, and one count each of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon-serious bodily injury and carrying an illegal firearm and carrying a loaded illegal firearm, according to the DA.
“I'm pleased with this arrest and the progress that was made today. This arrives following a very long week for all the New Bedford, State, and ATF investigators who have put a great deal of time and effort into this case. Although today is a well-earned win, there is more work to be done as this investigation continues and we continue to follow up on leads," New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira said in a statement.
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"We will not rest until each person connected with this shooting has taken a seat in our booking room," the police chief added. "Until that time, I remain grateful for the collaborative effort and encourage everyone to keep Det. Gilbert in their thoughts as he continues to heal."
Officials did not say what led them to arrest Vasconcelos-Furtado, but the investigation into Monday night's shooting remains extremely active and ongoing. Further information was not immediately available, though new details are likely to be revealed Monday morning when Vasconcelos-Furtado is arraigned in New Bedford District Court. It wasn't clear if he had obtained an attorney who could speak to the charges he's facing.
DA Thomas Quinn said he was very pleased an arrest had been made "in another senseless act of violence that could have cost the detective his life,."
The detective, who has been recovering in the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, was shot near the intersection of Rivet Street and Orchard Street around 8:45 p.m. Monday while in an unmarked vehicle, according to the New Bedford Police Department.
The officer — identified as Detective Lavar Gilbert — has been described as a veteran member of the force who is part of the Organized Crime Intelligence Bureau.
New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira said that Gilbert was in his vehicle when shots were suddenly fired, shattering his window and hitting him in the face. Gilbert was able to drive himself to the hospital.
Another man showed up at the emergency room shortly after, Chief Oliveira said, who had been shot in the foot. Police are still investigating the circumstances around that, and that man is also expected to recover.
New Bedford's police chief said no officers shot their guns, and also said that there was no reason to believe Detective Gilbert was specifically targeted.
“Being told that one of your own has been shot is a phone call that no police chief wants to receive, however, I’m extremely grateful that our detective is expected to recover," Chief Oliveira said in a statement. "This is a stark reminder of the dangers that the men and women of law enforcement face on a daily basis as they keep our citizens safe. We are very thankful for the outpouring of support from members of the community, as well as the many law enforcement agencies who have reached out. Please keep our detective and his family in your thoughts as he continues to heal.”
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell issued a statement following the shooting.
"We are relieved that the detective, who has ably served the department for many years, will make a full recovery, as it was an extremely close call," Mayor Mitchell wrote. "The department is aggressively investigating the matter, with the assistance of state and federal law enforcement agencies. I have full confidence that they will apprehend whoever was responsible for the shooting. This is a reminder of the risks police officers face everyday, and the importance of their work in maintaining public safety in our cities."
A man who owns a pizza shop nearby said he heard four gunshots as a car turned from Orchard onto Rivet. He said it’s not uncommon to see uniformed officers and undercover officers throughout the neighborhood.
“Undercover – there’s a lot of undercover here," he said. "We see them passing around Orchard and Rivet, and police will just stop people at random so it’s not something that you see often, but in terms of New Bedford, you can see it quite often."
The pizza shop owner said he gave police his surveillance video showing the car driving through the intersection. He’s pretty concerned about his family’s safety in light of this shooting.
“It is pretty devastating to hear, I’ve been here since 2004 and having family – my dad and my mom – I know it’s not easy in New Bedford," he said. "It’s sad to hear something like this happen, but we’re not surprised, a tough area to be in, especially when it happens in this general area."
An investigation is ongoing.
